Get Fido living more naturally with this guide on how to use essential oils for dogs!
Essential oils are a natural healthy way to support your wellness and if you’re reading this, you probably already use them for yourself daily. (If not, we have a great guide on how to get started with essential oils!) But did you know that you can use many essential oils in supporting the wellness of your dog too? In this article, we get you knowledgable on how to use essential oils for dogs.
Some Essential Oils Can Be Toxic To Your Dog
Before you learn what essential oils you can use with your dog, it is imperative that you know what essential oils you can’t use with your dog. We wrote about what essential oils are toxic to dogs and we highly suggest you take a look at it.
Choosing the Right Essential Oils Brand
It is highly imperative that you choose a brand that does not use additives or fillers. You want 100% pure, therapeutic grade essential oil. This means that the $15 10 bottle multi-pack at Walmart almost certainly isn’t 100% pure essential oils and is almost 100% likely to have chemical fillers. It takes an extraordinary amount of plants to make essential oils, so high quality oils do not come cheap. You absolutely DO NOT want to purchase oils that say “for aromatic use only” or any variation thereof. We have found that Young Living, Plant Therapy and NOW! are great brands with extremely good reputations and 100% pure, therapeutic grade, organic essential oils. Ultimately, It is up to you to do your due diligence in investigating the process a company uses in making their oils. At minimum, we recommend looking at their purity tests which should be available on their website.
What Essential Oils are Good For Your Dog?
Now that you’ve chosen a brand – or are using the company you already get your oils from – what essential oils are actually good for your dog? How do you actually use essential oils for dogs?
- Lavender Oil – Our favorite oil at home and the office is also a great one for dogs. One study shows that lavender oil actually helps calm your dog when nervous, particularly on road trips. You can use an in car essential oil diffuser using a very light stream. You could also create a Lavender mist using 1 drop of lavender to 50 drops of water and spray it on their coat being careful to avoid the eyes, ears and mouth. Additionally, you can do a 1:50 dilution of lavender and a carrier oil (like this 100% pure grape seed oil that we love) and rub it on the pads of their paws. Make sure to rub it in completely so the dog isn’t ingesting the oils.
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Peppermint Oil – Peppermint oil is great for repelling fleas and ticks. Simply add a few drops to your dogs natural shampoo (we absolutely adore Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap)and bathe as usual. You can also add a few drops to a glass spray bottle full of water to mist over their coat while you pet them. If they’re dealing with an upset stomach, you can dilute 1:50 with a carrier oil and rub on their belly.
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Sweet Orange Oil– Sweet Orange oil is great for naturally deodorizing your dog without harmful chemicals. Either add a couple of drops to his natural shampoo or add a few drops to a glass spray bottle full of water and mist over their coat while petting them.
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Frankincense Oil – Frankincense oil is used by many holistic veterinarians to help dogs suffering from arthritis. Using a 1:50 dilution ratio with a carrier oil, you can rub it directly on the dogs joints as if you were giving them a massage.
Warnings and Safety Information When Using Essential Oils With Your Dog
We mentioned before that we highly recommend reading our piece on which essential oils are toxic to dogs. We have great information for you on dilution, what to do if there’s a problem and more. Having said that, you want to be careful when introducing essential oils to your dog. Always start slow and always consult your veterinarian first. It is typically best to introduce dogs to essential oils by diffusing them in a large room where the dog is able to leave if needed. If tolerated well, you can move on from there. As with people, smaller dogs should not use the same amount that large dogs should. The dilution rate for dogs is typically 1:50 so absolutely never use undiluted oils without express permission from your veterinarian. Additionally, you will never want to use oils directly on the dogs mouth or tongue, eyes, ears, genitals or anus area. Finally, essential oils should not be used for more than 2 weeks at a time for your dog before giving a week break.
So what do you think? Have you already been using essential oils for dogs? Have a favorite go to that you use for your favorite four legged friend? Tell us in the comments to share with the world.
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